A New Place

Hi friends,

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here on Mommy Kudos. I loved sharing about the things that moms love but life has been full and I’ve been working on lots of other things. I am no longer updating this site but I would LOVE for you to come join me on my other blog: The Beautiful Deep where I share encouragement and lots of other goodies.

Kristin Lemus The Beautiful Deep

Also, I have started Brave Moms and would love for you to join me over there. It’s pure encouragement for your mom heart.

If you are an email subscriber you can go to The Beautiful Deep and sign up for emails there to continue to get updates from me.

Love,

Kristin

You are a Good Mom!

Did you know that you are a good mom?  Let me tell you how I know…

I remember the days well.  They were long and I was absolutely exhausted at the end of them.  I couldn’t seem to work hard enough or fast enough to get much of my to do list done.  There were many interruptions in my days to clean up spilled milk or break up a fight.

It all seemed overwhelming and I was drowning.

The lists of demands were never ending and unforgiving and to top it all off I was supposed to be happy and love taking time to play with my children.  Who wrote these rules?  They only seemed to set me up for failure.

I was a bad mom.

First it came as just a thought but I quickly owned it and agreed with it.  “I must be doing it all wrong because I cannot get this mom thing right.  I am constantly failing. I’m a bad mom.”

Of course these were all thoughts and I am not sure I would utter them out of my lips other than discussing my frustrations with my husband.  I still wanted to get it right.  I still longed to figure it out.

But I just kept failing.  More than I was getting anything right I was getting it wrong {at least by my standards}.

One day everything changed.

My heart was forever changed as the veil was removed from my eyes and the truth flooded my world.

I heard myself.

I had heard the lie that I was a bad mom and I bought it, began to agree with it and even speak it over myself. “I’m a bad mom.”

I was becoming what I was agreeing with and what I was speaking over myself.

When God created the world and sat back and surveyed it all He said it was good.  You and I and motherhood are part of His creation and He declared it all good.

I’m a good mom.  That’s the truth. Not a perfect mom. Not a mom who has it all together but a good mom.  That is what I combat the bad mom thoughts with… truth.

I start to become what I believe and agree with.  I was agreeing with the lie that I was a bad mom and I was in a rut that I couldn’t get out of that confirmed over and over again to me that I was bad and doing it all wrong.  Now that I know the truth, and believe it, I am becoming a better and better mom.

I am a good mom and you are too! Do you believe it?

See the new movie FROZEN first!

I couldn’t resist sharing this for all of my local readers.  My family and I are excited to go see the new movie Frozen that comes out the 27th of this month.  The previews look so cute! Here’s a way you can go see it FREE before everyone else:

See it first:

Monday, November 25th at 7:30PM

Cinemark West Plano

3800 Dallas Pkwy

Plano, TX 75093

Reserve your free tickets by clicking on this link and entering the code:  483265

Here is a summary of the film:

 

FROZEN (In 3D)

DISNEY

Website: Disney.com/Frozen

Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyFrozen

Twitter: Twitter.com/DisneyAnimation

 

Genre:                                     Animated Comedy/Adventure

Rating:                                     PG

U.S. Release Date:                  November 27, 2013

 

Voice Cast:                              Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk, Ciarán Hinds

Directors:                                 Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Producer:                                 Peter Del Vecho

Screenplay by:                                    Jennifer Lee

Original Songs by:                   Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Original Score Composed by:  Christophe Beck

 

Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind “Tangled” and “Wreck-It Ralph,” presents “Frozen,” a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven—to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

The film is directed by Chris Buck (“Tarzan,” “Surf’s Up”) and Jennifer Lee (screenwriter, “Wreck-It Ralph”), who also wrote the screenplay. It is produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Princess and the Frog”). Featuring original songs from Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“In Transit,” “Winnie the Pooh”) and Tony® winner Robert Lopez (“The Book of Mormon,” “Avenue Q”), and an original score by Christophe Beck (“The Muppets,” Oscar®-winning short “Paperman”), “Frozen” hits theaters in 3D on Nov. 27, 2013.

 

In “Frozen,” fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Josh Gad) in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. 

 

NOTES:

  • Kristen Bell will star in the feature film “Veronica Mars,” reprising the title role. Her film credits include the comedy “Hit & Run,” written and directed by Dax Shepard and co-produced by Bell, as well as “Movie 43,” “Some Girls,” “You Again,” “Burlesque,” “When in Rome,” “Couples Retreat,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and David Mamet’s “Spartan.” On the small screen, Bell stars in Showtime’s “House of Lies” with Don Cheadle, and has also starred in “Heroes” and “Veronica Mars.” Broadway credits include “The Crucible” and “Tom Sawyer.”
  • Idina Menzel, who won a Tony Award® as best actress in a musical for her role as Elphaba in Broadway’s “Wicked” (2004), landed her first role on Broadway in 1995 in the Tony Award-winning musical “Rent.” Film credits include “Enchanted” and the feature film “Rent.” She has appeared in a recurring role on TV’s “Glee” and recently released “Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony,” a live concert with an orchestra led by composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch. Menzel is currently on a North American concert tour.
  • Jonathan Groff’s film credits include “Taking Woodstock,” “Twelve Thirty,” “The Conspirator” and “C.O.G.,” which was part of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. TV credits include Fox’s “Glee,” the Starz series “Boss” and CBS’ “The Good Wife.” Groff received a Tony® nomination for his performance in the Tony®-winning musical “Spring Awakening,” and appeared in the Public Theater’s revival of “Hair” and off-Broadway plays “Prayer for My Enemy” and “The Submission,” among others. He made his West End debut in Ira Levin’s “Deathtrap,” and appeared in the 2010 Tony®-winning “Red” by John Logan at the Mark Taper Forum.
  • Josh Gad, veteran of the Groundlings Improv troupe and founder of The Lost Nomads Comedy Troupe, appears alongside Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in “The Internship.” He stars as Apple co-creator Steve Wozniak in the biopic “Jobs,” and as Sam Kinison in the upcoming biopic directed by David Permut. Gad also stars in the Zach Braff Kickstarter-funded indie project “Wish I Was Here.” His credits include “Thanks for Sharing,” “Love & Other Drugs” and “Crossing Over.” On Broadway, he was nominated for a Tony® for his role in “The Book of Mormon,” and also appeared in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
  • Kristen Anderson-Lopez made her off-Broadway debut at Primary Stages with “In Transit,” a musical performed entirely without accompaniment, inspired by the rhythms and sounds of life on the subway. Robert Lopez is the Tony®-, Grammy®-, and Emmy®- winning co-creator of the worldwide smash hit Broadway musicals “Avenue Q” and “The Book of Mormon.” Together with his wife and collaborator, he co-wrote songs for the feature film “Winnie the Pooh” and “Finding Nemo: The Musical,” a beloved fixture at in Disney’s Animal Kingdom since 2006. Their next project for stage is an original musical called “Up Here.”
  • Director Chris Buck helmed the 1999 Disney classic “Tarzan” (with Kevin Lima) as well as the 2007 Oscar®-nominated “Surf’s Up” (with Ash Brannon). His animation credits also include 1989’s “The Little Mermaid,” “The Rescuers Down Under” (1990) and “Pocahontas” (1995).
  • Director/screenwriter Jennifer Lee is one of the screenplay writers of this year’s hit arcade-hopping comedy adventure “Wreck-It Ralph.” Her screen adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights” is being produced by Troika Pictures. She has an original screenplay in development with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, and her original script “Lucid Dreams” was optioned by Wolfgang Peterson’s Radiant Productions.
  • Peter Del Vecho’s credits as producer include 2011’s “Winnie the Pooh” and 2009’s “The Princess and the Frog.” He served as associate producer for “Chicken Little” and “Treasure Planet.”

 

OFFICIAL BOILERPLATE:

Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind “Tangled” and “Wreck-It Ralph,” presents “Frozen,” a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven—to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. The film is directed by Chris Buck (“Tarzan,” “Surf’s Up”) and Jennifer Lee (screenwriter, “Wreck-It Ralph”), who also wrote the screenplay. It is produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Princess and the Frog”). Featuring original songs from Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“In Transit,” “Winnie the Pooh”) and Tony® winner Robert Lopez (“The Book of Mormon,” “Avenue Q”), and an original score by Christophe Beck (“The Muppets,” Oscar®-winning short “Paperman”), “Frozen” hits theaters in 3D on Nov. 27, 2013. For more information, check out Disney.com/Frozen, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyFrozen and follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/DisneyAnimation.

 

Back to School Shoe Shopping {& a Giveaway}

It’s back to school time for my kids and we have done a TON of shopping for clothes and shoes! I say a ton because with 5 of my 6 kids in school there is a lot to purchase before the big day comes.

This year, with 6 kids in tow, I headed to Famous Footwear for shoes for them all.  With kids in sizes ranging from preschool to adult I knew I would be able to find a pair for each of them. With their incredible Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off deal I knew I would make out well. Sure enough 6 pairs of shoes later my kids were happy campers.

Sure enough they had all of the latest and greatest styles including sparkly Hello Kitty shoes that my 4 year old fell in love with as well as Sperry Top-siders that my older girls like these days.  I have to admit that while I was buying shoe for them I had my eyes on some cute pumps and red Converse that I’ve been wanting too.  I think I’m going to have to go back and get them when my budget recovers a bit from the back to school hit.

 It was so easy for me to find shoes for all of my kids at good prices at Famous Footwear that I wonder why I’ve ever shopped around so much in the past.  When my kids feet grow or they need new shoes again I’ll just head back to this one stop shop. Super simple!

Now for the fun part for you.  Famous Footwear is giving one of my readers a $25 Famous Footwear gift card.  It’s perfect for back to school shopping! Enter with the Rafflecopter form below {if you’re reading this in email click over to the site to enter}.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



*Disclosure: I received a $25 gift card to use at Famous Footwear in exchange for telling you about my experience.  My thoughts and opinions are my own and I only share with you what I truly love and find worthwhile.

 

And…She’s Back

Wow! You’re still here?  I’m thrilled that you are! I’ve been gone a while. I spent a lot of my time over the Summer months planning and preparing for The Declare {blogging} Conference, which went amazingly well and we are very excited to do it again next year!

The amazing Declare Conference team and I

I also spent the Summer doing some traveling to North Carolina for a reunion {of sorts} with my big family {I am 1 of 10 kids}.  It was so much fun and my kids had a blast with their cousins too.  Afterwards we headed to Florida to see more family and friends and go to Disney World.

7 of the 10 of my brother’s, sisters & I

We’ve taken each of our kids to Disney for their birthdays somewhere between ages 3 and 5 and the other kids love coming along too. We’ve found that going when they are closer to 5 is so much better.  They remember it better afterwards and are able to last longer during the day.  Of course they all conk out the second we get in the car at the end of the day.  It wasn’t quite her birthday yet but my youngest was a few months off from turning 5 and she loved it (I mean who doesn’t?!).

What a road trip with luggage for 8 people looks like

My kids have now gone back to school. We have 5 kids in 3 different schools this year and my hand already needs physical therapy from all of the paper work.  My youngest is still home with me and can’t wait until it is her turn to go to school.

I’m excited to kick off my return to blogging here with a giveaway.  Stay tuned for one coming up really soon!

How was your Summer?  Did you stay at home or travel somewhere with your family?